About Kartik Krishnaiyer

A lifelong lover of soccer, the beautiful game, he served from January 2010 until May 2013 as the Director of Communications and Public Relations for the North American Soccer League (NASL).
Raised on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the old NASL, Krishnaiyer previously hosted the American Soccer Show on the Champions Soccer Radio Network, the Major League Soccer Talk podcast and the EPL Talk Podcast.
His soccer writing has been featured by several media outlets including The Guardian and The Telegraph. He is the author of the book Blue With Envy about Manchester City FC.
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“Bob Bradley is skilled at producing workmanlike teams. But they play banal soccer — if we didn’t know that previously (those of us who suffered through his years at the MetroStars sure as hell did) we do now. Pedestrian soccer rules, and Banality Bob is saved, on occasions, only by the flair and brilliance of Donovan. As long as Donovan is around, there is hope of something more rewarding than Bocanegra’s crunching fouls or Michael Bradley’s late tackles. The question that needs answering is why — at this late stage in the Great American Soccer Boom — the hopes for skilled, international-level play rest so heavily on one player. Is there an obvious replacement for Donovan waiting to take over? I don’t know of one — yet there should, by now, be three of four such candidates.”

Does this squad do anything to solve this problem? Think about that as we move forward? Do we have any creative forces besides Donovan, and how if this side going to break down anyone? I’d like to see what John Thorrington to do in this match.

Donovan’s brilliance may cost us a legit shot at winning the cup (I’m an optimist) because US Soccer will never fire Bradley if Donovan keeps us winning. I’d never root for us to lose, but it may take an embarrassing loss to get us a real coach.

Phillip good point but I have actually heard some around MLS say that the club game is gaining precedence in this country and that the national team is on its way down and out and MLS cannot be bothered with re arranging its schedule for the National Team. Part of what I have been told is unlike Europe or Latin america were the press is all over the game, here if a match is moved to accomodate the national team those with printed tickets will likely show up on the wrong date and/or time. MLS cannot afford that so they choose to ignore international breaks and complicate the ability to release players. Arrogance yes, but arrogance with a justification at least from their end.